Health & Medicine
Don't Cut the Cord! Lotus Birth is Trend Among New Moms
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Apr 11, 2013 10:37 AM EDT
It's a new trend that's all the rage among some new mothers.
An increasing number of women are choosing to leave their newborn's umbilical cord attached, letting it fall off in an all-natural way called Lotus Birth.
This would allow the mother to naturally detach from her baby, as opposed to have a doctor or medical provider cut the cord near the stomach immediately following childbirth.
It can take up to 10 days for the placenta and umbilical chord to detach. During this time, mothers must carry around the cord and their baby while they wait for it to break naturally.
According to The New York Post, for Texas native Mary Ceallaigh, a 47-year-old Lotus Birth advocate and Midwife educator, she believes this non-traditional practice can help with the mother and baby's health-suggesting that keeping the umbilical cord intact can lessen the chance for infection and may allow a complete transfer of placental/cord blood into the baby during a time when the most nourishment is needed.
"Babies' immune systems are going through huge changes at a very rapid rate when they're first born. Not disrupting the baby's blood volume at that time helps prevent future disease," she said.
"The mother and baby benefit from having all the focused placed on bonding, rather than the common focus of "who's going to cut the cord, cut the bond?"
As Ceallaigh has delivered over 100 births, she said that approximately five percent of her clients have practiced Lotus Birth. "For prepared folks, it's the easiest part of the birth!" she said.
She also adds that for those who may be skeptical about being joined so intimately with their child for a few days, it's much easier than one would expect.
"The cord usually dries and breaks off by the third day, so no mother would be running errands during that time anyway...hopefully not until at least the fourth week after giving birth!"' she explained.
"In humid conditions, however, it may take up to 10 days for the cord to break, particularly in areas like Bali or the Australian rainforest. In these cases, the early weeks after giving birth is even more low key for the mother - and that can be a good thing."
"While the placenta remains attached, it's kept in a nice cloth, and the cord is wrapped in silk or cotton ribbon. Babies are left on a safe surface or with a caregiver while the mother goes to the restroom. For cuddling and nursing, the placenta pillow is kept near the mother and baby."
Ceallaigh also said that the umbilical chord is odorless for the first day, but there is "a slight musky smell the second and third day."
She added that the only time the cord typically smelled was if the placenta is wrapped in a plastic wrap or sealed in a Tupperware container. It's important to note, according to believers, that letting the umbilical cord fall of naturally creates the perfect belly button and completely healed navel skin area.
"When one cuts the cord, the navel does not heal for at least two weeks," Ceallaigh said.
Want to find out more about Lotus Briths? Check out this video, courtesy of Mail Online.
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First Posted: Apr 11, 2013 10:37 AM EDT
It's a new trend that's all the rage among some new mothers.
An increasing number of women are choosing to leave their newborn's umbilical cord attached, letting it fall off in an all-natural way called Lotus Birth.
This would allow the mother to naturally detach from her baby, as opposed to have a doctor or medical provider cut the cord near the stomach immediately following childbirth.
It can take up to 10 days for the placenta and umbilical chord to detach. During this time, mothers must carry around the cord and their baby while they wait for it to break naturally.
According to The New York Post, for Texas native Mary Ceallaigh, a 47-year-old Lotus Birth advocate and Midwife educator, she believes this non-traditional practice can help with the mother and baby's health-suggesting that keeping the umbilical cord intact can lessen the chance for infection and may allow a complete transfer of placental/cord blood into the baby during a time when the most nourishment is needed.
"Babies' immune systems are going through huge changes at a very rapid rate when they're first born. Not disrupting the baby's blood volume at that time helps prevent future disease," she said.
"The mother and baby benefit from having all the focused placed on bonding, rather than the common focus of "who's going to cut the cord, cut the bond?"
As Ceallaigh has delivered over 100 births, she said that approximately five percent of her clients have practiced Lotus Birth. "For prepared folks, it's the easiest part of the birth!" she said.
She also adds that for those who may be skeptical about being joined so intimately with their child for a few days, it's much easier than one would expect.
"The cord usually dries and breaks off by the third day, so no mother would be running errands during that time anyway...hopefully not until at least the fourth week after giving birth!"' she explained.
"In humid conditions, however, it may take up to 10 days for the cord to break, particularly in areas like Bali or the Australian rainforest. In these cases, the early weeks after giving birth is even more low key for the mother - and that can be a good thing."
"While the placenta remains attached, it's kept in a nice cloth, and the cord is wrapped in silk or cotton ribbon. Babies are left on a safe surface or with a caregiver while the mother goes to the restroom. For cuddling and nursing, the placenta pillow is kept near the mother and baby."
Ceallaigh also said that the umbilical chord is odorless for the first day, but there is "a slight musky smell the second and third day."
She added that the only time the cord typically smelled was if the placenta is wrapped in a plastic wrap or sealed in a Tupperware container. It's important to note, according to believers, that letting the umbilical cord fall of naturally creates the perfect belly button and completely healed navel skin area.
"When one cuts the cord, the navel does not heal for at least two weeks," Ceallaigh said.
Want to find out more about Lotus Briths? Check out this video, courtesy of Mail Online.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone